title: Interleukin-6 bedside testing in women at high risk of preterm birth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Infection is likely to contribute to preterm birth (PTB). Laboratory analysis has demonstrated that vaginal IL-6 is correlated with PTB. We aimed to investigate a bedside test in this context.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vaginal secretions were collected from 71 asymptomatic high-risk women. After 20 minutes incubation at room temperature, samples were analyzed by the bedside reader (IL-6 concentration in pg/ml) (Milenia-Biotec, Germany). Maternal and neonatal infectious markers and pregnancy outcome were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL-6 was related to PTB, latency to gestation and maternal infection but not neonatal infection. In women with visible fetal membranes (n = 13), all of those with a high IL-6 (≥56 pg/ml) had a PTB (n = 11) compared to half (n = 1) with a low IL-6 (<56 pg/ml). All the women with a high IL-6 at <24 weeks' (n = 10) delivered before viability compared to none with a low IL-6 (n = 2). In women with preterm prelabor rupture of membrane (PPROM) and high IL-6 (n = 8) there was a trend toward more extreme PTB's (57% vs. 0%, p = 0.19) and delivery within 7 days (71% vs. 50%, p = 0.09) compared to low IL-6 (n = 5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL-6 may be useful in guiding the difficult management of patients with visible membranes and PPROM, for example, the potential benefit of a cervical cerclage.
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Fetal Research Unit, Division of Reproduction and Endocrinology, King's College London School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, London, United Kingdom. nicola.vousden@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vousden
authors.forename: Manju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chandiramani
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Seed
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shennan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis*; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis*; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000209:etiology*; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6